Prowler is a

wooden roller coaster A wooden roller coaster is a type of roller coaster classified by its wooden track, which consists of running rails made of flat steel strips mounted on laminated wood. The support structure is also typically made of wood, but may also b ...

located at

Worlds of Fun Worlds of Fun is an entertainment complex with more than 235 acres located in Kansas City, Missouri. It is the largest amusement park and water park in the Midwest. Founded by American businessmen Lamar Hunt and Jack Steadman, the park opened in ...

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

. Manufactured by

Great Coasters International Great Coasters International, Inc. (GCI or GCII) is a Sunbury, Pennsylvania-based roller coaster manufacturer which has created several award-winning rides since its formation in 1994. Starting in 2006 with Thunderbird at PowerPark in Finland, th ...

, the $8-million ride opened to the public on May 2, 2009.Worlds of Fun Announces a new king of the jungle for 2009: Prowler Roller Coaster
RCDB September 1, 2008

History

Before the announcement of the new ride, there were teasers put out by the park. These teasers included placing a mysterious large storage crate at the front of the park, which was 'delivered' by the "International Wildlife Organization" or the "IWO".Confidential Delivery
Hot Air Blog with Brandon Stanley July 6, 2008 More details of the package kept coming out through the blog and videos came out Worlds of Fun Delivery IWO
YouTube.comWorlds of Fun IWO Press Conference
YouTube.comWorlds of Fun IWO Beast Footage
YouTube.com as the IWO storyline continued until September 1, 2008. That day, Worlds of Fun announced that Prowler would be coming to the park. Prowler opened to the general public on May 2, 2009. For the 2019 season, both Prowler and Timber Wolf were retracked. Some sections had their wood replaced, including the first drop. The wood on the outside section of the hill was being replaced with IPE wood, which was the highest quality timber available and eight times harder than

California Redwood ''Sequoia sempervirens'' ()''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607 is the sole living species of the genus '' Sequoia'' in the cypress family Cupressaceae (formerly treated in Taxodiaceae). Common names include coast redwood, coastal ...

. This would add some softness to the turn and reduce the stress on the track. Plus, the ride received a new chain for the lift hill.

The ride

Prowler is the second wooden roller coaster to be built at Worlds of Fun with the first one being Timber Wolf. The ride reaches an unspecified height of 85 feet, into a spiral drop which swoops into a ravine and through the woods at the top speed of 51 MPH. The ride is located in the Africa section of the park behind the Zulu Ride. Prowler has an estimated capacity of 850 riders per hour. It is the third ride to occupy that current spot at the park that the ride is operating in; originally home to the Safari Adventure and the Python Plunge (later renamed The Plunge). The lot was vacant from the Plunge's close in 1999 to the Prowler's opening in 2009. The ride's layout (darting in and out of the woods) and promotional material (logo and tagline) makes reference to the famous wooden coaster The Beast at

Kings Island Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio, United States. Owned and operated by Cedar Fair, the park first opened in 1972 by the Taft Broadcasting Company. It was part of a larger effort to move and expan ...

, another Cedar Fair park near

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

Trains

Two "

Millennium Flyer Great Coasters International, Inc. (GCI or GCII) is a Sunbury, Pennsylvania-based roller coaster manufacturer which has created several award-winning rides since its formation in 1994. Starting in 2006 with Thunderbird at PowerPark in Finland, th ...

trains" with 12 cars per train. Riders are arranged two across in a single row for a total of 24 riders per train.

Rankings

Prowler was voted Best New Ride of 2009 - Amusement Park in

Amusement Today ''Amusement Today'' is a monthly periodical that features articles, news, pictures and reviews about all things relating to the amusement park industry, including parks, rides, and ride manufacturers. The trade newspaper, which is based in Arli ...

's Golden Ticket Awards.2009 Golden Ticket Awards
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Gallery

Image:WOF-Prowler1.JPG, Prowler's first drop Image:WOF-ProwlerQue.JPG, Prowler's line queue Image:WOF-Prowler2.JPG, Prowler with car ascending

References

External links

Prowler
at Worlds of Fun's website {{Golden Ticket Award for Best New Ride Roller coasters in Missouri Roller coasters introduced in 2009 Worlds of Fun Roller coasters operated by Cedar Fair Best New Ride winners